Whether a pool swimmer or an open water swimmer, young or old, it seems that everyone is reporting a pool swimming set of 100 x 100 (yards or meters, short course or long course) during the holiday season. The annual rite of traditional long-distance training seems to come out of the mega-distance tradition of the 1970s when Olympians like Mike Bruner and Bobby Hackett reeled off sets in a short-course yard pool of 100 x 100 on 1:00 interval.
Under the tutelage of Joe Bernal, the Harvard graduate and silver medalist from New York once did an early legendary set of 100 x 100s.
In a short-course yards pool, Bobby started out holding 57s per 100 and then gradually picked up the pace until he held 54s for #81-#99. Showing his renowned sprinting and endurance abilities, he finished in a sprint of 52.1 over the final 100.
Hard work comes in all forms, but the 100 x 100 retains a special place in the distance freestyle training annals for many.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.